An Airbus A330 is missing over the Atlantic - ReutersA plane with more than 200 passengers on board was missing over the Atlantic today.
Contact with the Air France Airbus A330, which was flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, was lost off the coast of Brazil.
The plane took off from Rio yesterday evening and was due to land at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport at around 10.15am UK time.A message on the Air France website said today: "We have no information about that flight."
The Brazilian Air Force said it was searching near the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha.
A spokesman said the search and rescue mission was mounted after the jet failed to make regular radio contact.
A UK airline safety expert said: "It's almost unthinkable for a western European airline just to go missing like this."
The plane is believed to have 216 passengers and 12 crew on board. Contact with the aircraft was lost around 7am UK time today.
The aircraft was equipped with CF6 engines made by American company General Electric.
Air France spokeswoman Brigitte Barrand said: "Air France regrets to announce that it is without news from Air France flight 447 flying from Rio to Paris.
"Air France shares the emotion and worry of the families concerned."
She said the airline has installed an information centre at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport for the families of those aboard.
The island of Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago about 220 miles off the coast of Brazil.
It consists of 21 islands, with the main one giving its name to the whole group and making up more than 90% of the total area.
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